MEA says Hafiz Saeed is 'trying to hide behind ballot' by rebranding terror outfit as political party

New Delhi: India Friday termed as a “matter of concern” the freedom enjoyed by Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his organisations in Pakistan to conduct terror acts against India and others. India said Islamabad must ensure that international sanctions against such individuals are fully enforced. Reacting to reports that Saeed is rebranding the JUD and launching a political outfit, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, “It appears that a person whose hands are stained with blood of innocent lives… such an individual is wanting to hide his blood stained hands behind the ballot ink. The person who traded in bullets to take lives, is he trying to hide behind ballot?”

The person who has traded in bullets to take human lives, is he trying to hide behind ballot, that's a matter of concern: MEA #HafizSaeed pic.twitter.com/zo73yS7LnH

— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2017

[caption id="" align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of HafIz Saeed. AP[/caption] Saeed is an an internationally designated terrorist by the UN, Baglay said. He noted that Saeed’s organisation — whether it is called Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) or JUD — has been carrying out terror activities not only against India but against other countries as well. “It’s been a matter of concern not only for us but for the entire region and beyond. We have hear from the media report that he is in some sort of a house arrest in Pakistan. It is very well known that he and his organisations enjoy freedom in Pakistan to conduct terrorist activities against India and others. It is a matter of concern,” Baglay said. He further said, “It is Pakistan’s obligation to make sure that such individuals and organisations are not able to enjoy freedom to conduct terror activities with the kind of international obligation Pakistan has. Pakistan must ensure that international sanction on these individuals and organisations are enforced 100 per cent.”